Sewing awl



Oct. 22, 1 963 L, GLEASDN 3,107,831

SEWING AWL Filed Dec. 50, 1960 2 SheetsSheet 1 FIG. I

Oct. 22, 1963 J. L. GLEASON 3,107,831

SEWING AWL Filed Dec. 30. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8 FIG.9

INVENTOR.

JAY L. GLEASON United States Patent 3,107,831 SEWING AWL .l'ay L.Gleason, Qxnard, Calih, assignor of one-tenth to Gadget-Of-The-MonthClub, Inc., North Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of Ialifornia FiledDec. 3t), 1960, Ser. No. 79,651 7 Claims. (Cl. 223-16 4) The presentinvention consists of an improved sewing awl of the type adapted for usein sewing relatively tough materials such as leather, or the like, andwhich requires the application of considerable force in order to pass aneedle tip carrying thread, or the like, through the material. Theapparatus of the present invention consists of such a sewing awlincluding a novel means for rotatively mounting a thread-carrying bobbinor spool means adjacent the forward end of the awl and in a manner whichprovides a controlled amount of frictional force between one end of thebobbin and an adjacent portion of support means carrying same whereby adesired amount of back force will be exerted on the free end of athread,

extending from the bobbin or spool means so that it will not becompletely free running and inadvertently unwind in a manner causing agreat slack loop of thread which may tend to tangle. However, thearrangement is such that the thread can be unspooled through theapplication of a predetermined amount of tension to the free end of thethread carried by the bobbin or spool means.

Furthermore, the adjustable thread-tensioning means, in one preferredform, is of a novel construction which will maintain any setting andwill not :become inadvertently loosened in a manner altering the settingthereof.

One form of the invention also includes a novel threadwinding meansadapted for use in very conveniently winding thread on the bobbin in amanner disposing the thread evenly along the length of the bobbin duringa threadwinding operation and, in certain cases, disposing the thread inalternate, directionally reversed, layers along the length of the bobbinduring the thread-winding operation.

The invention includes handle means and, in one preferred form, thehandle means may be hollow whereby to define a hollow storage chambermeans therein which is provided with controllably engageable anddisengageable closure means therefor. In this form of the invention, thehollow storage chamber means may be used to normally store an insertiontype socket wrench for use in rapidly and easily winding thread aroundthe bobbin or spool means and also for alternate use in adjusting aneedle chuck carried by the sewing awl and adapted to removably engage asewing needle. Various other objects, such as needles or the like, mayalso be stored therein.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sewingawl of the character referred to above which is of extremely simple,cheap, foolproof construction such as to be conducive to widespread usethereof.

*Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter and will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after acareful study thereof.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention,several exemplary embodiments are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying drawings and aredescribed in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in verticalsection illustrating one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the direction of thearrows 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view taken in the direction of thearrows 3-3 of FIG. 1 after the insertionice type socket wrench has beenremoved from the chamber within the handle of FIG. 1 and has beenengaged within the socket at the right end of the spool spindle of FIG.1 for use in rapidly winding thread onto the core of said spool. Thisthreaded winding operation is indicated by the multiple broken linefragmentary alternate position showings of the wrench in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of thearrows 4-4 of FIG. 1 and shows the outer nut of the chuck and the rightside of the inner portion of the chuck in vertical section. The viewshows the left side of the inner portion of the chuck in elevation.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view taken in the direction of thearrows 5-5 of FIG. 1 and illustrates the "chuck after engagementtherewith of the wrench for use 7 in tightening the chuck on the base ofthe needle or for releasing same.

FIG. 6 is anenlarged fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly insection, illustrating a slight modification of the left portion of theapparatus shown in FIG. 2 of the first form of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of thearrows 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the invention as seenalong a plane similar to that indicated by the arrows 8-8 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows 9-9 of FIG. 8 andshows in broken lines various different operative locations of thethread-winding strap as it is used to facilitate winding thread on thebobbin or spool of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to the lower portion of FIG. 8 but illustratesthe thread-winding strap after it has been moved into inoperativeposition.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 for exemplary purposes, one illustrativeembodiment of the invention takes a typical exemplaryv form wherein itcomprises a handle means, indicated generally at 10, which may be madeof wood or any other suitable material and which defines therein ahollow storage 11 provided with controllably engageable anddisengageable closure means 12, removably threadedly engageabletherewith by the thread means 13. The hollow storage chamber means 11 isnormally adapted to carry therein an insertion type socket wrench, suchas that indicated at 14, which may be removed for bobbin. removing use,for thread-winding use and for oollet or chuck engaging and disengaginguse in the manner described in greater detail hereinafter.

The handle means 10 has a front end 16 which is provided with supportmeans, generally indicated at 17, extending outwardly therefrom andincluding two transversely spaced support yoke portions 18 definingtherebetween a bobbin opening or chamber 19 in which the bobbin,indicated generally at 20, is adapted to be transversely rotatablymounted in a manner which will be described in greater detailhereinafter.

The support means 17 is provided at an outer end thereof opposite thefront end 16 of the handle 10 with con trollably openable and closableneedle-engageable chuck or collet means indicated generally at 21.

In the specific example illustrated, the support means 17 is fastenedonto the front end 16 of the handle 10 by the clamp means or ferrulemeans 22, although various other attachment arrangements and/ orstructural arrangements are contemplated within the scope of the presentinvention.

In the specific example illustrated in FIGS. 1 -5, the bobbin or spoolmeans indicated generally at 20 is effectively transversely rotatablymounted for rotation about a transverse axis between the yoke portions18 by rotativemounting means indicated generally at 23 and, in

the specific example illustrated, effectively comprising spindle ormandrel transversely carried by the support yoke portions 18 along atransverse axis extending transversely through the bobbin opening orchamber 19.

In the specific example illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the rotative mountingmeans 23 eifectively comprises transverse recess means comprising a leftrecess portion 24L and a right recess portion 24R in the core 25 of thebobbin or spool means 20 correspondingly provided with and receivingfirst or left and second or right spindle elements 26L and 26R whicheffectively engage corresponding apertured portions 27L and 27R in thesupport yoke portions 13 whereby to effectively rotatably mount thebobbin 20 for rotation about a transverse axis. It should be noted thatthe left one of said spindle elements 26L eifectively comprises adigitally adjustable thumb screw having a threaded portion 28L adaptedto threadedly engage the left threaded or tapped aperture 27L in theleft support yoke portion 18 and has a reduced-size inner portion 291.adapted to extend into the left recess 24L in the spool 26 forengagement with the coil spring 30.

This will effectively force the right flange 32R of the bobbin or spool20 and the washer W against the inside of the right or support yokeportion 18 in the manner shown in FIG. 2 whereby to cause a controlledamount of friction therebetween which will effectively comprise threadtensioning means imparting a desired amount of back tension to thethread 33 carried by the core 25 of the bobbin or spool 29. 7

It should be noted that the second or right spindle element 26Rcomprises an exteriorly threaded socket head screw threaded into theother end of the recess means comprising the other recess 24R and havingits outer portion rotatively extending through the correspondingadjacent aperture 27R in the support yoke portion 18 for controlledrotation therewith. The socket 34 in the end of the spindle element 26Reffectively comprises a socket type engaging means adapted to removablyreceive one of the ends of the insertion-type socket wrench 14 forwinding the thread 33 around the core 25 of the bobbin or spool means 20when desired. This operation can be performed very rapidly through theuse of the insertion type socket wrench 14 and, upon completion of theoperation, the wrench may be removed and replaced within the storagechamber 11.

It should be noted that the bobbin includes thread fastening means forfastening one end of the thread 33 with respect to the bobbin or spool20. In the specific example this comprises an aperture or slot 35 in thecore 25 to which the inner end of the thread 33 can be attached as byknotting or by tying it around the core 25.

The collet or chuck 21 is of a type including an exteriorly threaded,exteriorly tapered, split-inner gripping means 36 provided with aninteriorly threaded, interiorly tapered, exterior operating sleeve ornut 37; said means 36 being apertured as indicated at 38 to allowreceiving the butt end 39 of a needle 40 therewithin, after which theexterior sleeve or nut 37 can be rotated by inserting the insertion typesocket wrench 14 into the sockettype engaging means or socket aperture41 in the sleeve or nut 37. Such rotation will effectively firmly engageand lock the needle 40 in the operative position shown in FIGS. 1, 4,and 5. The needle disengaging and releasing operation is the reverse ofthat just described.

The support means 17 is provided with thread egress means which actuallycomprises the opening 42 into the bottom of the central aperture 38 ofthe chuck 21. The free end of the thread 33 is adapted to extend throughsaid thread egress holes 42 and 38 upwardly along needle groove G forengagement with the needle aperture 43. The apparatus is then incondition for use as a sewing awl.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a slight modification of the invention, andsimilar parts are indicated by similar reference numerals, primed,however.

In this modification, the left spindle element 26L portion 23L with thecorresponding threaded aperture 27 L in the corresponding support yokeportion 18' whereby to provide for retention of the spindle element 26Lin any adjusted position. In the specific example illustrated in FIGS. 6and 7, the expansion means referred to above is provided for bycentrally drilling the shaft of the left spindle element 26L asindicated at 44 and transversely partially slotting it as indicated at45 whereby to allow the introduction thereinto of an interior compressedelastomeric plug 46 which tends to effectively expand the threadedportion 281. in a resilient manner, thus providing immobilization of theelement in the threaded aperture means 27L in the support yoke portion18 which is capable of being controllably overridden by the digitalapplication of a predetermined amount of torque to the thumb knob 31L.

similar reference numerals, doubly primed, however. In this modificationof the invention, the front end of the handle 16" is effectivelyprovided with thread-winding means, indicated generally at 47,comprising a slotted thread guide member or strap 48 having bifurcatedportions 49 pivotally engaged by a mounting screw 50 for rotation withrespect to the outer ferrule 22" in a manner whereby to transverselyshift a thread 33" carried in a thread retaining aperture '51 in theouter end of the thread guide member or strap 48. This provides anarrangement whereby the thread 33 may be shifted along the length of thecore of the spool or bobbin 20 during a thread-winding operation so thatthe thread 33" will be It should be noted that acevenly disposedtherealong. cess to the thread-retaining aperture 51 is provided by areduced-size thread entry slot 52. noted that a guide lip or flange 53extends downwardly from the outer end of the slotted thread guide memberor strap 48 for guiding circumferential sliding engagement with theexterior of the ferrule member 22" during threadwinding use of thedevice. winding operation, the outer end of the member 48 may be liftedslightly so that the flange 53 will clear the top edge of the ferrule22" and the bifurcated elements may be slidably moved radially inwardlyuntil the entire device lies in the inner position shown in FIG. 10where it is out of the way and will not interfere with normal use of thesewing awl. Or, on the other hand, the entire member 48 may bedisengaged from the center fastening screw 50 and may be placed in thehollow storage chamher in the handle, such as that shown at 11 in thefirst form of the invention, if desired.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for,

the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to beconstrued as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailedspecific structure shown in the figures and specifically describedhereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to includesubstantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings andinventive concept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An improved sewing awl, comprising: handle means having a front endprovided with support means extending outwardly and forwardly therefromand including two transversely spaced support yoke portions definingthere- 7 between a bobbin chamber and being provided at an outer fonwardend with controllably openable and closable needle-engageable chuckmeans; rot-ative mounting means transversely carried by said supportyoke portions along a transverse axis extending transversely through thebobbin chamber; and bobbin means removably positioned between saidsupport yoke portions and removably rotatably engaged by said rotativemounting means for rotation of It should further be Upon completion of athreadthe bobbin means about the transverse axis, said rotative mountingmeans comprising transverse recess means carried by the bobbin means andfirst and second spindle elements provided with outer portions engagingcorresponding apertured portions of the support yoke portions on eachside of the bobbin chamber, and provided with inner portions extendinginto said recess means for rotatably mounting the bobbin means withrespect to said support yoke portions for rotation about the transverseaxis extending therethroug-h, said first spindle element having itsouter portion provided with thread means manually controllablythreadedly adjustably engaging the corresponding apertured portion ofthe corresponding support yoke portion, said first spindle elementhaving its inner portion rotatably positioned within one end of saidrecess means and being provided with compression spring means lyingentirely within said transverse recess means of said bobbin means andhaving one end in abutting contact with the inner end of said innerportion of said first spindle element Within said transverse recessmeans and having the other end effectively forcibly engaging andabutting an inner portion of said bobbin means and forcibly biasing thebobbin means away from the spindle element into efective frictionalengagement with respect to the inside of the oppositely positionedsupport yoke portion, said second spindle element comprising anexteriorly threaded screw threaded into the other end or" said recessmeans of said bobbin means and fixed thereto and having an outer portionextending through the corresponding adjacent apertured support yokeportion for rotation therewithin, said second spindle element alsoincluding an engaging means adapted to removably engage an exteriortorqueapplying auxiliary wrench for winding thread around the bobbinmeans.

2. A device of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said supportmeans is provided with thread egress means communicating with saidbobbin chamber :for allowing the end of a length of thread wound on thebobbin means to extend to a position for engagement with a needleadapted to be held by the chuck means.

3. A device of the character defined in claim 1, wherein said handlemeans is provided with a hollow storage chamber means therein and withcontrollably engageable and disengageable closure means therefor.

4. A device of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the threadedouter portion of said first spindle element includes resilientlycompressible expansion means adapted to provide frictional threadedengagement of said exterior threaded portion of said first spindleelement, with the corresponding apertured support yoke portion wherebyto provide for retention of said first spindle element in any adjustedposition.

5. A device of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the threadedouter portion of said first spindle element includes resilientlycompressible expansion means adapted to provide frictional threadedengagement of said exterior threaded portion of said first spindleelement, with the corresponding apertured support yoke portion wherebyto provide for retention of said first spindle element in any adjustedposition, said expansion means comprising slotted chamber means in saidfirst spindle element and interior compressed elastomeric plug means insaid slotted chamber means.

6. A device of the character defined in claim '1, includingthread-winding guide means comprising a longitudinal thread guide memberhaving a first end pivotally mounted below the bobbin means at alocation substantially equidistant from opposite ends of said bobbinmeans for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said first and secondspindle elements and the axis of rotation of said bobbin means, saidthread guide member having -a second free slotted end longitudinallyspaced from said first pivotally mounted end by a distance such as to bepivotally movable by controlled digital operation thereof along an areextending substantially the entire length of the bobbin means during athread-winding operation.

7. A device of the character defined in claim 1, wherein said engagingmeans of said second spindle element comprises an end-mounted sockettype engaging means adapted to removably receive an insertion typesocket wrench, comprising said exterior torque-applying auxiliarywrench. for said winding of thread around said bobbin means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS251,304 Skinner Dec. 20, 1881 573,563 Yeakel Dec. 22, 1896 655,548 Espeyet al Aug. 7, 1900 744,581 Mansell Nov. 17, 1903 778,240 Harrington Dec.27, 1904 870,492 Clark Nov. 5, 1907 908,708 Stewart J an. 5, 19091,409,668 Carnall Mar. 14, 1922 2,407,160 Kahn Sept. 3, 1946 2,568,075Launder Sept. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,100,830 France Apr. 13, 1955

1. AN IMPROVED SEWING AWL, COMPRISING: HANDLE MEANS HAVING A FRONT ENDPROVIDED WITH SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND FORWARDLY THEREFROMAND INCLUDING TWO TRANSVERSELY SPACED SUPPORT YOKE PORTIONS DEFININGTHEREBETWEEN A BOBBIN CHAMBER AND BEING PROVIDED AT AN OUTER FORWARD ENDWITH CONTROLLABLE OPENABLE AND CLOSABLE NEEDLE-ENGAGEABLE CHUCK MEANS;ROTATIVE MOUNTING MEANS TRANSVERSELY CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT YOKEPORTIONS ALONG A TRANSVERSE AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH THEBOBBIN CHAMBER; AND BOBBIN MEANS REMOVABLY POSITIONED BETWEEN SAIDSUPPORT YOKE PORTIONS AND REMOVABLY ROTATABLY ENGAGED BY SAID ROTATIVEMOUNTING MEANS FOR ROTATION OF THE BOBBIN MEANS ABOUT THE TRANSVERSEAXIS, SAID ROTATIVE MOUNTING MEANS COMPRISING TRANSVERSE RECESS MEANSCARRIED BY THE BOBBIN MEANS AND FIRST AND SECOND SPINDLE ELEMENTSPROVIDED WITH OUTER PORTIONS ENGAGING CORRESPONDING APERTURED PORTIONSOF THE SUPPORT YOKE PORTIONS ON EACH SIDE OF THE BOBBIN CHAMBER, ANDPROVIDED WITH INNER PORTIONS EXTENDING INTO SAID RECESS MEANS FORROTATABLY MOUNTING THE BOBBIN MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORT YOKEPORTIONS FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE TRANSVERSE AXIS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH,SAID FIRST SPINDLE ELEMENT HAVING ITS OUTER PORTION PROVIDED WITH THREADMEANS MANUALLY CONTROLLABLY THREADEDLY ADJUSTABLY ENGAGING THECORRESPONDING APERTURED PORTION OF THE CORRESPONDING SUPPORT YOKEPORTION, SAID FIRST SPINDLE ELEMENT HAVING ITS INNER PORTION ROTATABLYPOSITIONED WITHIN ONE END OF SAID RECESS MEANS AND BEING PROVIDED WITHCOMPRESION SPRING MEANS ID LYING ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID TRANSVERSE RECESSMEANS OF SAID BOBBIN MEANS AND HAVING ONE END IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITHTHE INNER END OF SAID INNER PORTION OF SAID FIRST SPINDLE ELEMENT WITHINSAID TRANSVERSE RECESS MEANS AND HAVING THE OTHER END EFFECTICAELYFORCIBLY ENGAGING AND ABUTTING AN